But mayoral challengers Daniel C. Boyle and Daniel C. Burns said last week the issue with Moran – a deputy fire chief who is under criminal investigation and who aided Pluta’s election campaign in 2009 – actually is drowning in politics.

On June 27, Hampden District Attorney Mark G. Mastroianni requested a criminal complaint be issued against Moran after he said Moran sent a fire truck on a fake call to the Holyoke Mall at Ingleside June 15.

Moran, whom officials said is on paid administrative leave, at the time was acting fire chief.

Here's a look at what the candidates had to say about the issue. Follow more coverage on our Holyoke election page.

Elaine A. Pluta

Pluta said that while Moran’s brother, Timothy J. Moran, who also is a deputy fire chief, also worked on her 2009 election as campaign manager, William Moran mostly held campaign signs.

Still, Pluta said, she hasn’t politicized the Moran issue. Instead, her guide has been to ensure due process is followed for any city employee in legal trouble, she said.

To do otherwise leaves the city vulnerable to costly lawsuits from employees who could claim deprivation of rights, she said.

The three-member Fire Commission, which the mayor appoints, has met several times in executive session about Moran. Commissioners have refused to disclose votes taken about Moran.

“Fairness and proper deliberation are what all city employees deserve and what ultimately protects cities from costly legal consequences when that proper legal path is not followed,” Pluta said.

“Holyoke has expended far too much money, over $1 million, in the past several years on outside legal costs and settlements,” Pluta said.

She takes this position, she said, “in full recognition” that other candidates, and particularly Boyle, have tried to gain politically on the Moran issue by accusing her of botching the issue.

Officials have declined to comment on reports that one of the Fire Commission’s executive-session votes on Moran was to suspend him without pay for five days.

A deputy fire chief makes $68,775 a year.

Daniel C. Boyle

Boyle, a business consultant, said Holyokers are smart enough to know Pluta is favoring the Morans.

“If William Moran worked in the private sector, he would be out of work on suspension without pay. If exonerated of the charges, he would then be reinstated and receive full back pay,” Boyle said.

“In my opinion, there is no way Holyoke taxpayers should be paying William Moran’s full salary for what amounts to at least 10 weeks of paid vacation. For the mayor to suggest that she won’t play politics in this instance, when it comes to William Moran, all she plays is politics and cronyism,” he said.

Still, he said, “Given the mayor’s track record when it comes to Moran, her inaction was expected.”

Burns, a former city councilor, and Boyle said it was curious that before Pluta took office in January 2010, William Moran in 2009 had been demoted to captain. That came after what a previous Fire Commission said was conduct unbecoming a firefighter, which Moran said was untrue.

A year later, under a Pluta-appointed commission, Moran was reinstated to deputy chief.

City Solicitor Lisa A. Ball and Commission Chairwoman Priscilla F. Chesky have said Moran was reinstated to deputy chief after an agreement between his lawyer and the city.

Daniel C. Burns

Burns said Pluta is fooling no one by helping Moran.

“I think she’s trying to say it’s not political, but obviously, it seems, from the time she became mayor, it was political, to get him back into the department,” Burns said.

Also, he said, the Fire Commission’s closed-door decisions on Moran are unfair to taxpayers wondering about the fire chief.

“We haven’t heard from the commission,” Burns said.

Alex B. Morse

Mayoral candidate Alex B. Morse said, “Until the investigation’s complete, I’m going to refrain from commenting. I want to run a postive campaign. I don’t want to comment on another candidate.”

Pluta, Boyle, Burns and Morse will compete in the preliminary election Sept. 20 with the top two finishers vying in the general election Nov. 8.